Curtis Park Streetlight Replacement Project Update

Curtis Park Streetlight Replacement Project

According to the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities, the Curtis Park Streetlight Replacement project is scheduled to start soon. This project only concerns streetlights in the area bound by East Curtis Drive, Sutterville Road, Franklin Blvd and Curtis Way. This project started in 2012 when it was discovered that the underground wiring to these streetlights is failing and needs to be replaced. The City also found some of the streetlight posts were in bad condition and either needed to be refurbished or replaced.

Project information from the Department of Utilities:

The construction bid for this project was advertised and bids were received in February. The construction is expected to begin in late spring or early summer of 2015. It is difficult to set the completion timeframe because this project involves inspecting each existing cast iron streetlight carefully and, if possible, refurbishing it prior to reinstalling it close to its existing location. There are many uncertainties in this process. Nonetheless, the City is hoping to complete the construction by the end of 2015.

A bid advertisement in 2014 related to the Curtis Park Streetlight Improvement project was for the procurement of the cast iron streetlight poles. That procurement required that the manufacturer produce casting molds and prototypes of cast iron streetlights identical to existing ones. It took the manufacturer more than six months, but they were able to meet the procurement requirement. The new cast iron streetlights will be needed to replace the existing fiberglass, steel pipe, and those that are not refurbishable. Union Metal of Ohio made the original Curtis Park streetlights decades ago and they are making the new streetlights using the original casts.

There will be some trenching in the neighborhood to install underground conductors and conduits. A new foundation will be built close to each existing streetlight for a refurbished or new cast iron streetlight. The existing foundation will be removed or abandoned. This part of the work will occur at the beginning of the construction and should be completed within two months. The City will inspect and supervise this work to ensure it is done properly and with minimum impact on the neighborhood. Prior to the work, the contractor will be required to post notice along with names and numbers of persons that neighbors may contact with any questions.

The new or refurbished lights will be equipped with LED luminaires with the same color temperature as the existing ones, but will consume less than 50% of the existing energy and last more than 15 years. Previous neighborhood concerns regarding the color of certain types of LED street lights might be valid years ago, but the industry has addressed this concern by producing luminaires that are in the warm color range. The “temperature” of colors of LED luminaires is measured on the kelvin scale. The higher on the scale, the cooler the color. The cooler white LED luminaires, prevalent five to 10 years ago, were in the 6000 Kelvin. They were made at the higher Kelvin in order to maximize the light output per watt of energy. LED luminaires nowadays are much more efficient, so the industry is able to make them in lower Kelvin while still able to gain more light output per watt. The existing luminaires in the Curtis Park area are in the 4000 K color temperature. The new LED luminaires will be of the same 4000 K. The only difference is in their power consumption which will be less than 50% of the existing ones.

Featured Posts

ANNOUNCEMENT CURTIS PARK VILLAGE FUEL CENTER PROJECT The City of Sacramento Planning and Design Commission is scheduled to hear the Conditional Use Permit application for the Curtis Park Village Fuel Center on Thursday, May 14. If you would like to comment in a public forum, this is your opportunity. Planning and Design Commission Meeting Thursday, […]